So, as I write this, I am strangely in one of the most productive writing times of my career. Seriously. I am averaging 5,000+ words a day without breaking a sweat. And the words are coming easy. EASY!

The difference? New genre. Actually, I’m not sure “genre” is the right word. It is interesting.

But, anyhoo, let’s get on with the drabble!

Enjoy!

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Frayed Laces
By
Jake Bible

The bleachers were empty; the crowd gone for hours. William sat alone, his hands folded in his lap, his breath mist upon the cold. With every exhalation he felt a little less himself; a little less there.

“She’ll come back,” Randall said as he sat down next to William. “Won’t she?”

William shook his head, looking at his muddy sneakers and frayed laces. He’d been meaning to get new laces every time he was at the store. He lifted his head up and looked at the October clouds float by the barely visible stars.

I am essentially hedonistic in nature. I’ll admit that. Basically, if it isn’t fun I’m not going to do it (excluding the life necessities that keep my family alive and stuff like that.)

But, due to the SUMMER BLOCKBUSTER SEASON OF GIANT BLOCKBUSTER FILMS, there are a lot of people on the MIGHTY INTERNET that seem intent on not only having zero fun, but of mocking and shaming folks because they did have fun. It’s getting bad, people. B-A-D spells moon bad. So for today’s post I figured I’d talk about having fun for fun’s sake!

I’m also going to say something that could hurt me in the online community: I’m not a geek. Now, I am using the stereotyped geek definition here, not the carnival freak that bites the heads off chickens. I am one of those (just kidding…?). I’m not saying there is anything wrong with being a geek, not at all! Let your geek flag fly! I wouldn’t have readers or listeners without the wonderful people that have embraced my fiction. Y’all rock!

I’m also not denying I don’t have one foot firmly planted in the geek world. I’d be lying if I said that. I’d also be lying if I didn’t admit to my years of D&D and MERP late nights. Plus, my comic book collection. And, my… Hmmmm, maybe I doth protest too much? I guess I’m really saying if I found myself in a geek throwdown I’d be handed my butt in two seconds. I know a lot, but I’m just not quite obsessive enough (Obsessive? Is that the right word?) to be considered a full blown geek. What I can say with certainty is that I am not anywhere close to a specific type of geek. You know the type of geek I’m talking about: the one that has difficulty actually enjoying anything they watch/read/listen to without tearing it apart.

I just don’t get that mindset. I can’t go there.

To explain why I don’t get it, let me talk about me some more because you all want to hear about me. I know I do.

I love scifi. Always have. I love all the genres, really. From comedy (Eureka style) to full on gut gripping terror (Event Horizon), I dig it all. Of course, that doesn’t mean I can’t tell the difference between bad scifi and good scifi. Bad scifi is half of what Hollywood puts out, while good scifi is Joss Whedon, Battlestar Galactica, Orphan Black (and many others). But, I appreciate fun scifi most of all. If I am having a good time watching/reading/listening to something then that is all that matters. I do not care that the core processor being used would never be able to fire up the sub-space uberdrive’s dimensional potential because it can only process 100 TBs per millisecond. That makes no difference to me as long as the story is fun. Why doesn’t it make a difference? Because it’s science fiction! None of it is real! None of it! It’s a made-up story in a world that doesn’t exist. Even the “realistic” science-based scifi is still fiction. And all of that goes for horror, fantasy, comic books and their adaptations on the big and small screen as well. It isn’t real and there are no rules when something isn’t real.

Of course, if something sucks (like really, really, really sucks) then it isn’t going to be fun.

Except… The cheese!

Now, I am using the cultural entertainment definition of cheese, not the dairy-based foodstuffs definition (but I do love that foodstuffs!). I am a HUGE fan of cheese! I love the “so bad, it’s good” scifi out there. I mean the SyFy channel cranks that out by the buttload and I just can’t keep up. I don’t even try anymore. One of my favorite memories of my childhood was the first time I ever saw Plan 9 From Outer Space on late night cable. Oh, the joy! It was so incredibly bad that even as a small child I could see the flaws. But, man, was it fun to watch! The horrible acting, the non-existent sets beyond cardboard and curtains, the flying saucers with the strings showing! Perfection! My son and I talk about this movie constantly with great fondness. It is a masterpiece.

Take everything I have said above and apply it to all genres and you know how I roll. I like to have fun and I refuse to pick something apart just to pick it apart. Why even watch/read/listen to anything if you aren’t even going to try to enjoy it?

This is why I doubt you will ever see me review anything or really even comment about it. I just can’t get to that place. I can have a good hearty discussion like the next person and I do have strong opinions about certain pieces of work (I can never get the two and a half hours back that I wasted watching Titanic in the theater. I still get sick to my stomach thinking about it). But, who the heck am I to say what is good and what isn’t? I’m a writer and I know how those reviews feel.

So, if you take anything from this post, let it be that it is okay to have fun! It is okay to enjoy yourself even if the movie/book/TV show/podcast isn’t perfect or as good as you thought it should be OR as good as someone else thought it should be! You don’t have to justify your enjoyment, you don’t have to worry that you will be thought less of, you don’t have to worry at all! Don’t be afraid to taste the cheese! Don’t be afraid to enjoy something without a care in the world what other people think!

Sometimes, almost ALL the time, it’s just better to have FUN for FUN’S sake!

And with that I leave you this!

Cheers!

Disclaimer: This is a generalization! I am not saying all geeks argue the details, thus ruining the entertainment value of a product. I’m just saying, well, you know what I’m saying and you know the type I’m talking about. If you don’t know what I’m saying and want to argue about this then please re-read my post. Thanks!

And I’m glad to see all of you here for another Drabble Party! Welcome, welcome. Leave your coats by the door and grab a beverage. There’re snacks in the kitchen.

All settled? Excellent.

So we have had another Party goer join the fun. Welcome to Frailey! I dig the additions to the drabbles.

I know I had said way back that I’d comment on drabbles that were added to the Party. I have decided not to. I quickly realized I’m not a critic. To each their own is how I see it. I think just having the guts to put your 100 words on the website is good enough. No need to get all subjective on the drabble itself.

So come one, come all! Time to get your Party on!

Enjoy!

***

Back With A Vengeance

By

Jake Bible

“NOOOOOO!!!” Manny shouted as the first bullet tore Terrance’s forehead apart. Chunks of skull and thin strips of skin exploded into the misty morning air. A fine spray of blood floated on the slight breeze.

Manny dove under the Valiant he and his brother had been struggling to restore. More bullets flew through the air and followed Manny, ripping wide holes in the Valiant’s blood stained primer gray.

Ok, folks. It appears the Party consists of myself and Heyes. Not that that is a problem. The guy can write!

So, if you think you can write (I call dibs on that as the next breakout reality show!) then get your wordy words down in the comments section tonight! DO IT!

Enjoy!

***

Serial Rookie
By
Jake Bible

“When it makes a promise it must keep the promise,” the man outside the cage insisted. “Or if it does not keep the promise then the promise it has been told will happen.”
Carl just stood there, his hands on the iron bars, his eyebrows raised. “I have no idea what you are saying.”
The man outside the cage sighed and then started again, but Carl quickly interrupted him. “No, I heard you. I just have no idea why you are saying that.”
The man outside the cage looked at his notes. “OK, let’s try this. It puts the lotion…”

This week I will do something different. It has been suggested that I post the Drabble in the body of the post instead of as a separate PDF. So I am going to give that a whirl tonight!

Please let me know if this works better for y’all. I aim to please, ya know.

This does mean that the comments section tonight is for comment on the new format AND so you can add your 100 words worth. You know how I like it when y’all play along. So far there’ve only been a couple of players with the Drabbles, but a small party is still a Party!

Have a read below and if you are inspired to add to the story, take a related tangent, create something new that follows the spirit, what have you, then please do! It is a Party after all.

Enjoy!

***

We Always Do

By

Jake Bible

Of the Weeping Time we know. Of the Horror of Banford we know. Of the Call to All That Came Before we know.

So I sit upon my chair –the hardbacked one with the spent spring in the seat- and stare at the Fog as it crawls from the harbor, up the street, through the alley, and to my window.

Of the Fog we do not know. But we will learn.

We always do.

And those that remember, those that are left?

We shall write about it; tell tales by firelight; sing sad ballads in the pub.

We always do.

***

So what did you think of having those words right there in your face? I kinda like it. Let me know.